The Last Waltz Ensemble Tribute to The Band, State Theatre, Friday, March 2, Doors 7 p.m, Show 9 p.m.
This is the 30th anniversary of the release of the great Martin Scorcese film, “The Last Waltz,” based on video footage of The Band’s final concert in the mid-1970s. The Last Waltz Ensemble hails from Atlanta and captures the “vibe, energy and music of The Band, one of the world’s most popular, influential and significant rock groups,” according to a State Theatre promo. Special guest Greg Hester from the Van Morrison Review will join them. If they perform the Robbie Robertson-written classic, and in my view one of the best tunes ever, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” it will be worth the price of admission. I can’t believe that song didn’t have roots in some old Appalachian tradition. But Robertson, half-Jewish, half-Mohawk, was a genius, a truly seminal influence in music. Admission, by the way, is $15.
